Staff member speaks out about culture, safety concerns at Buderim Private Hospital

A staff member at a Sunshine Coast private hospital has spoken out about poor practices and a troubling workplace culture, as multiple nurses allegedly boycott certain operating theatres over concerns for patient safety.

Sunshine Coast Buderim Private Hospital.

A Sunshine Coast nurse has spoken out about poor practices and a troubling workplace culture at an embattled private hospital, weeks after staff were notified of a major theatre bungle.

The staff member, who did not wish to be named, said there was a growing list of nurses who refused to work in particular theatres at the Buderim Private Hospital due to concerns over patient safety.

The latest revelation comes months after another staff member, from the same hospital, raised concerns with the simultaneous running of operating theatres that resulted in two patients being anaesthetised without the surgeon on the hospital premises.

According to the latest staff member, the hospital did not have a policy in place regarding the overlapping running of two operating theatres when the incident took place in July this year.

They said while multiple staff members at the hospital raised concerns, the culture within the private health provider meant many were deterred from speaking up.

“If you speak up for safety, which you’re meant to do as part of your professionalism as a nurse, you get belittled, you get treated badly and you don’t get listened to,” they said.

“If you speak up your career is pretty well done.”

Last week this publication saw a leaked notice from the hospital to staff members, which listed 13 improvement measures set to be implemented in the wake of the July incident.

The notice stated the safety policy of the hospital was not followed correctly by the theatre team members and there was “no clear scope of practice” for the surgical assistants.

When questioned about the workplace culture at Buderim Private Hospital, a spokeswoman said staff were “empowered” to speak up about any issues.

“At Buderim Private Hospital, we encourage and empower staff to escalate concerns and speak up for safety,” she said.

“Ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at our hospital is our number one priority.”

The hospital did not respond to the claims of nurses refusing to work in certain theatres.